Not that it existed—she met Cuban doctors while studying abroad in Ghana, so she knew about the country's robust healthcare system. What was unbelievable was the cost.

"I called the office asking how much the program cost, how much the application fee was. They were just like 'Free, free,'" says Sefa-Boakye. "How can it be free?" But indeed, the Latin American Medical School—ELAM, in Spanish—is free, charging no tuition, room, or board. In 2002, she packed her bags for Havana.

Sefa-Boakye is one of over 100 Americans who have gone to the school. Cuba established it in 1999, after the country sent hundreds of doctors to help neighboring countries hit by hurricanes. The school is an extension of that medical diplomacy: ELAM caters specifically to low-income students from outside Cuba, who come learn for six years and return to serve their communities.